Tibetan culture developed under the influence of a number of
factors. Tibet's specific geographic and climactic conditions- its
altitude, short growing season, and cold weather- have encouraged
reliance on pastorialism, as well as the development of a different
cuisine from surrounding regions. Contact with neighboring countries and
cultures- including India, China, and Mongolia- have influenced the
development of Tibetan culture, but the Himalayan region's remoteness
and inaccessibility have preserved distinctive local influences.
Buddhism has exerted a particularly strong influence on Tibetan culture
since its introduction in the 7th Century. Art, literature, and music
all contain elements of Buddhist religion, and Buddhism itself has
adopted a unique form in Tibet, influenced by the Bön tradition and
other local beliefs.
Tibetan food and beverages:The
staple Tibetan food is barley flour (rtsam-pa), which is consumed daily.
Other major foods include wheat flour, yak meat, mutton, and pork.
Dairy products such as butter, milk, and cheese are also popular. The
people in the higher altitudes generally consume more meat than those of
the lower regions, where a variety of vegetables is available. Rice is
generally restricted in consumption to the well-to-do families, southern
border farmers, and monks.
Two beverages - tea and barley beer
(chang) - are particularly noteworthy. Brick tea from China and local
Tibetan tea leaves are boiled in soda water. The tea is then strained
and poured into a churn, and salt and butter are added before the
mixture is churned. The resulting tea is light reddish white and has a
thick buttery surface. Chang, which is mildly intoxicating, is thick and
white and has a sweet and pungent taste.
Tibetan Local CustomsTibet's
culture is unique in the world. Due to its extreme environment and high
altitudes it has formed its own unique customs over thousands of years.
It is one of the aspects of Tibet that most visitors will find most
intriguing. Tibetan's hospitality is legendary and many Tibetans find it
a great honor to welcome guests into their homes and treat them to a
wonderful evening of food, wine, and dancing. Tibet's distinctive
communal cultures such as etiquette, dress, marriage and burial
ceremonies are colorful, unique, and unforgettable.
Tibetan Songs and Dances:Tibetan
folk songs and dances are an indispensable part of every Tibetans'
life, especially during festivals or important events. Being named as
the "Ocean of Songs and Dance", Tibet has several unique forms of
singing and dancing: Guoxie (circle dance), is an informal dance popular
in countryside of Tibet; Duixie (tap dance), is usually accompanied by
stringed instruments; and Zhuoxie (drum dance) that is popular mainly in
Lhoka, Lhasa and Xigaze. Their melodious love songs, with bursts of
hearty laughter, keep reverberating over the grassland. Tibet also has
the Ghost Dance, Mask Dance and Guozhuang Dance, each of which
represents Tibetan local customs.
Clothing:The Tibetan
people have created their own unique style of clothing that is adapted
to the land, weather and way of life, as well as the history, culture,
beliefs and character of the local people. Each area of Tibet has its
own distinct style of clothing. Tibetan clothing consists of a robe and
shirt. The Tibetan robe worn by men is broad and is normally fastened
under the right arm, while the women's are slightly narrower with or
without sleeves. Men typically wear white shirts with high collars,
while women wear various colors with turndown collars. The wearing of
aprons is very popular among Tibetan women, as it is considered to be a
privileged dressing style specially reserved for the married women.
Wedding Customs:After
the Tibetan girl's rite of passage, she is eligible for marriage. One
of the most important and interesting parts of a Tibetan's life is the
wedding ceremony. During the wedding ceremony, the bride and groom will
kneel down in front of the groom's parents and a photo of the Buddha
while monks chant. The bride will then take her ring finger and flick
milk tea three times to salute heaven, earth, and the Buddha. The
wedding feast will then begin. Sometimes the groom and the bride are
nearly buried beneath the large number of Hadas draped across their
necks. When the ceremony is over, a party is held, at which everyone
sings and dances till dawn. The wedding ceremony can be as short as one
day, but frequently can be as long as ten. During the celebrations, the
host will prepare sumptuous food, tea and wine for the guests, who will
enjoy themselves to their hearts content.
Tibetan Burial:The
most common burial in Tibet is the Celestial Burial or Sky Burial. It
is the show of Tibetans' respect for nature and an understanding of
life. Sky Burial is how commoners have been buried for centuries. A sky
burial is not considered suitable for children who are less than 18,
pregnant women, or those who have died of infectious disease or
accident. The ritual of sky burial usually begins before dawn. The
corpse is offered to the vultures which are regarded as the "Sky
Dancer", and they are believed to take the soul into the heavens, which
is understood to be a windy place where souls await reincarnation into
their next lives. This mystical tradition arouses curiosity among those
who are not Tibetan. However, only the funeral party is allowed present
at the ritual, and they all strongly object to visits by the merely
curious.
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